Ängsholmsfortet
Though situated on the island of Ängsholmen, right in the middle of a heavily trafficked route in the Stockholm Archipelago, the militarily camoflaged Ängsholmen bastion is known to but a handful. The fort has a rich and interesting story, one of defence of a nation, ambition, religion, one of shattered dreams, and of law and justice, this is the story of the fort. Built as a sister-fort to Siaröfortet in 1916-1930ies the military base was deemed outdated even before completion and is notable for its lack of any AA-weaponry. It was built to house 507 men, but the military dug to deep, to greedely; the mountain the fort dug into was weak and cracked. The mountain punished the ignorant engineers daring build and the fort was transformed into a dungon of moist and fungie, and the flooded levels turned to lakes of forsaken labour. The build was an expensive failiure, and the fort would never play any important role in military defence, yet the military chose to keep control over the island. Wrestle for control, a conflict of almost thirty years The shame that the failed project had turned to keept the military with just a skeleton force to guard the island. This was to prove a devastating mistake. Being so strategically located, to the main eastern sea route to the largest city in scandinavia, other, religiously motivated forces began to see interest in the island. In 1963 the powerful Christian tribe of KFUK-KFUM began to seize the less guarded sections of the island, effectively gaining a foothold which the military proved unable to dissipate. Over the next ten years, the military and the Christians would wrestle for control over the island. Commanding the defence of the island from not only the Christian invasion but also others, such as sailors and fishermen, where Judge Dredd-like character P. G. Moberg, famous for arming himself solely with a golden badge, baton and swathe. The KFUK-KFUM tribe used the island for various rituals, processions and rites. Due to the islands isolation the local KFUK-KFUM faction developed its own traditions and customs, deviating from the orthodox traditions of the mainlanders. Due to the unrelenting ferocity of the Christians and lack of support from home, the military was unable to push back the intruders and yielded the island in 1973. They continued to control the port till the late 1980ies however, launching parties to recover some of their lost artifacts that have been left behind in the tumult of their leaving. Present day Today the island is under the total dominance of the KFUK-KFUM, using the island mainly for rites of passage and other religious activities. This makes the island very very hazardous for pirates. Christianity, an ancient monotheistic religion, has historically showed little mercy for pirates; and unlike the organised and predictable structure of a military company, the tribe of KFUM-KFUK promotes individuality, spiritual experiences and religious interpretations making them dangerous and unpredictable. The military base has not been explored however and though dangerous, an expedition into the bowels of the darkness below is extremely tempting. Försöket has no maps of the island, or its military base, nor the location of the various KFUK-KFUM bases and information about these would be highly valued! Coordinates: '''N 59° 22.782', E 18° 39.112' (click link for webpage map) '''Further reading: Siaröfortet (sister-fort) KFUK-KFUM Ängsholmen webpage Category:Locations